Bill_Simpkins

A challenge is a challenge, whether it starts on something real, like a mountain, or somewhere fake, like a video game. The challenge is still real. I get obsessed when a challenge is presented to me. Now I am obsessed with the challenge of losing 20 pounds.

I used to work in the evening and exercise during the day. Now I work in the day and exercise in the evenings. Could that alone make that much of a difference? Is basal Metabolism just your average metabolism? Also how many of you have had to exercise more and eat less as you've gotten older? When did this happen for you? How much did you have to adjust. Just curious.

I understand the whole conservation of energy thing, input and output. I have a degree in Physics. The thing I don't understand is that I eat better and work out more than I did 5 years ago and can't lose anything. I usually eat oatmeal for breakfast, a largish lunch, and a regular dinner. Lunch is usually a salad with meat (chicken). Dinner is usually on average rice and meat or simular. I try to stay away from noodles and high cholesteral things. It's usually Indian food based, asain or mexican based. I don't eat fast food anymore, nor much processed food. I don't eat desert and dont snack much. Basically, 3 meals a day. I eat about the same amount as my wife, and she is 5'4" and not overweight.

Also, I am going to start riding my bike to work at least 3 days a week. It's only two miles though. Is that enough to get my metabolism up or should I take the scenic route? I'm playing dumb here, because whatever I thought before isn't working.

I got hooked on a video game for most of the winter and gained 20 pounds. I have been dieting and working out, i.e. hiking running and climbing, a lot for the past two months. Maybe Hiking or running 3-4 times a week, light weight lifting 2-3 days a week(no heavy weights) and going to the gym or outside rock 1-2 times a week. I've been really active. Although I feel back in shape and could climb anything I have ever done before, I cannot lose any weight. I eat less and exercise more. Is it because I just turned 30? Maybe because I work out at night? Does working out in the morning make a small difference, or a big one? How much can your metabolism change from day to day? Help! I weigh 215 now, want to get back to 190-195. Going nuts trying. I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and do not have a lanky figure. At 190-195 I am very lean.

I agree with billcoe. We intentionally put ourselves in risk. Why should we expect someone to save us? The people getting rescued should have to pay for every cent of the rescue, unless there are volunteers involved. If I'm ever hurt that bad, it will feel good knowing a helicopter is on it's way, but I should still have to pay for it. They could put the money somewhere to help people that never asked for grief, like abused children, etc... Now that's a rescue program. I'm sure flying a blackhawk up a mountain with a crew costs a pretty penny. I don't think climbers deserve free or subsidized rescues. I think the effort should ultimatly be from volunteers or money from the ones being rescued.

I am just shocked there are Walmarts in Germany!

The 3rd ish pitch on Banana Peel (the one where you step up onto the slab and go right), if you have never done runout slab. That was my second trad climb, back in the day. My first trad climb was the 5.4 at Sugarloaf, the same day. Those runouts on Banana peel seemed endless, but VERY gratifying. On the second to last pitch, I ran out of rope (this is before I knew was simulclimbing was and simul the rest now) and had to do a gear belay just below the "rock belay". I was scared to death and never let go of the rock. The belay had every peice of gear left on me. That route is still one of my favorites because I enjoy the very things that scared me then. It's all relative I guess.

Google Map It's pretty cool. I started it over the Sisters Range. You can use the arrows and zoom on the left to navigate. Anyhere in the world I believe. Going over the Cascades is cool. The zoom is limited in some regions and communist counties. Pretty cool!

Maybe we should have a vote, this thread could be to decide who gets on the ballot. I nominate Alex Lowe. Just for thought though, what could have Ed Cooper pulled off with modern gear? If we are voting for only living climbers, and greatest now, I vote for Dean Potter.

Women should compete equally with men in this, there's no need to break it out like the special olympics.

If they are not that stiff, why not just use tennis shoes?

I think work is getting to me again.

How is liberation trying to prove what a man can do? Isn't liberation just being free? If you are trying to proving something to someone, you are a prisoner to to them. Maybe flaunting women on these magazine covers is the man saying we are still in control, or trying to retain it. sex sells too, in any format. Take a feminist mag, put hot chicks on it, and it will sell 2x as much. I think many men and women climb to prove something. But, after falling a few times and dealing with exposure, those ones usually go back to the gym or stop altogether, unless they are trying to prove something to themselves. An we are all prisoners to ourselves. WORD.

Hard shells are a total pain. You are always unzipping this, unzipping that, putting this in the pack, taking that out of the pack. Plus, they are deadly when the sun comes out. They are too hot when it's warm. I would say they more people suffer more from heat related stresses on the body then wetness/coldness related. Ever be at Camp Muir when people are returning fromt he summit? They are half draped and sweaty in gortex. They have headaches from sweating like crazy,hot as hell and dehydrated. Miserable. When I go out in softshells, the only thing for my legs, are ON my legs the whole time. Saves a pound in the pack and room to boot. I can wear them to work, go rock climbing that night, lounge arund the house, then climb a mountain or go snowboarding any time of year. If it rains, I usually am ok, else I put on a peice of plastic or just go in my T-shirt. Bogen, the gortex I've used handled scree just fine. I never questioned the durability of it. However I didn't wear hard shells rock climbing much because its too warm and bulky and doesn't stretch. So it never had the same "testing" as my softshells.

Dude, "Midnight Oils greatest hits" must be a long playing single about giving it back eh? Some of it. Lots of good songs. They are almost one hit wonders in the US, but have a good long-standing rep pretty much every where else. Many good albums. Overly-ignored here

Believe it or not, Midnight Oils greatest hits is a good one to have around. Also, Weezer, Green Album, has treated me well the past few years. Other recent favorites (i.e. in my CD player now) Green Day, "American Idiot" Police, "greatest hits" Queensryche, "Rage for Order'

Yates Big Wall.

That's what I do also. Also good for clipping your lack to stuff so it doesn't slide away while breaking.

I don't think you could get any gear in on the last pitch. It may be a different story when your on it though. The bolt line is there and the falls look clean. It's an easy hike in, check it out! BTW I'm taking someone else from this site up there for a hike who just wants to check the place out. Maybe you could join.

I've scoped out the 3-pitcher several times. Getting gear in would be a nice challenge on the upper pitches. The falls look pretty clean and the bolts look solid. You can scope it out pretty well from a nice ledge just below and right of the top where the short crimpfest routes are.

You got it. I like stuff that serves as double duty. You can use your tied runner as a chest harness, or the rope if you are on an end. OR! You could just go with a light pack. You can easily get a 5 day glacier pack to under 30 pounds. Never hurts though to have one on though, I would just use webbing and leave the extra weight and bulk of the chest harness at home. You can then use up the webbing for rap slings or use it in your anchors if you are fishing someone out of a slot.

Worked and played video games.

I agree. The hardshells get soaked anyways. If the weather is marginal or you are on an extended trip, bring a ultralite rain jacket, like a plastic poncho or small totally waterproof rain pullover or something.

So you're really in Mazama climbing trad and you don't want to admit that you're not clipping bolts, so you're faking that your in Mongolia! Bad Luke! Hope you're having fun.